PayPal auto-converted a foreign currency payment and charged me a fee

[JaneCShearer]

Has anyone solved the problem of PayPal automatically converting a payment to the primary currency, even when you have your preferences set to not convert foreign currencies? I received a payment in CAD which was automatically converted then a large fee deducted.

I have scanned existing questions but not found a solution.

I can't contact PayPal because I am overseas and the phone number provided is toll free in New Zealand. There is no person on the chat, only a useless automated system. 

[kernowlass]

@JaneCShearer 

Could be because you are using a country specific paypal account internationally?

[JaneCShearer]

Thanks for the suggestion but I have 3 currencies, including CAD, and have had payments made in other currencies in the past. This is a new problem. Plus I have checked the appropriate box in preferences that says don't convert payments.

[kernowlass]

@JaneCShearer 

Not talking about currencies you have added. You said you were overseas so are you using a N.Z paypal account whilst you are in another country?

[JaneCShearer]

I happen to be travelling overseas but I live in New Zealand. I haven't happened to use PayPal for any transactions while travelling but I can't see how that would be relevant, even if I had.. 

[kernowlass]

@JaneCShearer 

While travelling internationally, PayPal actually doesn't always guarantee the ability to use your account since it's normally considered a bit higher risk than the usual activity in your account history.

Depending on what the security system sees, you may still have limited functionality but it's not uncommon to run into issues while travelling outside your home country. 

That is why you are paying 'cross border' fees to accept funds into your international account being used abroad.

Paypal advises you not to try and use it when travelling.

[JaneCShearer]

I am NOT using PayPal abroad. I have not used PayPal since I left NZ. Someone paid me while I happen to be overseas...if PayPal is tracking my movements around the globe without me carrying out transactions I had better quit them in a hurry because that tracking would be scary and inappropriate behaviour. It would also be ridiculous for a payment to be converted because I happen to be physically present in another country but not converted if I was physically present in my home country. There is no difference.

However, I'm also well over PayPal who have taken 10% of the funds paid. The only reason I accepted the payment via PayPal was that the payer couldn't use Wise, which is a far superior system for transferring money and using it in multiple countries. They WANT you to use their system wherever you are. 

[kernowlass]

@JaneCShearer 

Use Wise then, matters not one jot to me, sorry for trying to help.